In a nod to alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, Montreal trombonist Scott Thomson brings together four exceptional Canadian alto saxophonists with whom he has worked and who motivate his improvisational drive, heard here in four duos: two with Toronto alto saxophonists John Oswald and Karen Ng, and two with Montreal alto saxophonists Jean Derome and Yves Charuest.
Format: CD Condition: New Released: 2021 Country: Canada Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold Tracks 1 and 3 recorded at Atobop, in Montreal, Canada, on November 20th, 2019, by Zach Scholes.
Tracks 2 recorded at The Farm, in Toronto, Canda, on November 4th, 2019, by Jean Martin.
Track 4 recorded at Fort Rose, in Hamilton, Canada, on May 5th, 2019, by Aaron Hutchinson.
"My musical life has been punctuated by special encounters with saxophonists. A deep dive into Steve Lacy's music after his death resulted in formative projects, notably The Rent (Ambiances Magnetiques, 2010). My organisational talents made possible orchestral projects with Anthony Braxton (2007) and Roscoe Mitchell (2016) as well as a delightful Canadian tour by Evan Parker (2011).
However, my daily work is animated especially by relationships with alto players in cities where I've resided: John Oswald and Karen Ng (Toronto) and Jean Derome and Yves Charuest (Montreal). Pal o'Alto is a homonymic nod to a tune by Lee Konitz, who died during the 2020 pandemic while this record was being produced. Konitz's music has also affected me profoundly and, while a straightforward tribute is not really my purview, I like to imagine that his spirit lurked as I made this music with these four dear pals."-Scott Thomson